My 9 yr old - menstruation

[DianeVegan]

This is a very interesting thread as it brings up bovine growth hormone, weight and the new "norm' for the age of menarche. Girls are supposedly only getting their periods earlier in countries where animal products are the main source of protein. Is it any wonder it's happening to our children when you consider that animal product consumption has steadily increased over the past 25 years in "developed" countries (and the wealthy of other countries)? It is my impression that the rate of growth affects menarche - and that children who get lots of protein (mainly animal) grow at a faster rate. This is affecting boys as well. Another sad legacy for our children.

[LittleMissVegan]

I started when I was 14 and kept it from my mum for 2 years until I finally decided to tell her. It was never mentioned again after that as me and my mum aren't really like that we don't talk about that kind of stuff. Luckily we had already had sex education at school and the tampax lady had been so I was all clued up!!!!

[Lyns]

I started when I was 12 and didn't tell my mum, she worked it our for herself a couple of days later. We had had 'the talk' one day when I was about 10 but I got most of my info from reading magazines. She always disapproved of tampons (even though she used them herself). We never talked about periods or sex and still don't. We never got any classes at school until we were about 13 or 14 and I think most of the girls in the class had already started so it was all a bit useless, apart from the free pads given out. I have a mooncup now and would never be without it. I don't look on periods as a great womanly thing, they are painful and a nuisance that I could happily live without.

[greeniebean]

Hello,

I noticed that the original post in this thread was from almost a year ago. Hopefull Blue's daughter is handling things fine by now. But, I figured I'd mention this anyway...it could be of interest to any other mothers dealing with their young daughters beginning their period:

I started at 10 and was in the 5th grade. Our classroom had its own small, one-stall bathroom in it. This was to serve both the boys and the girls and had NO TRASHCAN in it! The sink, paper towels, and trashcan were out in the classroom, you were supposed to use the toilet in private and then come do your washing up in the classroom. So, I would go the entire day wearing the same pad because I had nowhere to dispose of my used one. For some reason, I didn't tell my mother about this until years later.

As you can imagine, during my period I would spend most of the day worrying about if I had bled through or if I smelled. I learned absolutely nothing during classes because I was so worried about my period.

So, give your child's school a call and make sure that they have a proper set up for discreet changing and disposal of pads.

[Tigerlily]

I started at 10 and was in the 5th grade. Our classroom had its own small, one-stall bathroom in it. This was to serve both the boys and the girls and had NO TRASHCAN in it! The sink, paper towels, and trashcan were out in the classroom, you were supposed to use the toilet in private and then come do your washing up in the classroom. So, I would go the entire day wearing the same pad because I had nowhere to dispose of my used one. For some reason, I didn't tell my mother about this until years later.

Similar story as me. Each part of the school was assigned a washroom. I was in the grade 4/5 wing and in the grade 4/5 washroom, there was no trash bin inside the stalls, only a big one outside. I couldn't change my pad either throughout the day and I constantly worried about it. The grade 6 girl's washroom had a trash bin in one stall, but I wasn't allowed to use it since it was not in my area. My mom called the school and complained and the principal said I could use the grade 6 washroom but, I was too scared to get caught.

[sugarmouse]

i was 12 &very happy.lol i had felt womanly for ages and it just completed the feeling.my mum was very open.i became almost obsessed with the fact i had startedand told everyone!
i hated being a kid.i wanted to be grown up since being very little and so i was happy.
my periods stopped when i had an eating problem, and again when i had a botched operation.i still like the feelign of menstruation now...i love femininity.lol
nine, i agreeis very young!i ll second makin her know it is a special time in her life, is a good way to operate

[Morna]

Good nutrition can bring puberty early too. Nature says "oh she eats good...she can have kids."

[ConsciousCuisine]

Good nutrition can bring puberty early too. Nature says "oh she eats good...she can have kids."

Thank Goddess the exact opposite happened with my Daughter! She'll be 13 next month and she's not started yet.

[Yogini]

I had full breasts by age 9 and started menstruating at 10. This was 20 years ago when this was less common and it was awful. My mother never told me anything - she asked me once if I had any questions, but she was obviously so uncomfortable just doing that there was no way I felt OK actually asking her anything. Everything I've learned I learned in sex ed class and from reading (Judy Blume, encyclopedias, you name it.) I don't plan on having kids, but if I ever have a daughter I pray to the heavens above I'm able to handle things better than my mom did.

Developing early was horrible. Men 20 years my senior were always assuming I was legal (I passed for 21 when I was 12) and trying to pick me up. I'd tell them right away how old I was and while about 40% would run screaming, the other 60% would still try to get me to go home with them. The other kids spread rumours about me that at the time seemed quite disgusting. I remember that in the 4th grade the table I shared with the other kids (in lieu of a desk) hit right at my nipples and I spent countless hours trying to decide whether to uncomfortably slouch to hide my tits under the table or rest them on the table, making myself more physically uncomfortable but psychologically miserable because I felt this was putting them "on display."

Having generous curves can be pretty great as a mature woman, but I went through hell when they first came in, which is why I somewhat (and irrationally) resent that women who didn't go through what I did can get my same proportions through surgery. Earn it, dammit!